<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Picking Up the Pieces by mixermiz907</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25458076">Picking Up the Pieces</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mixermiz907/pseuds/mixermiz907'>mixermiz907</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Has All the Genders (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley Was Raphael Before Falling (Good Omens), F/M, Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), Love Confessions, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Pining, Post-Canon, Pre-Fall (Good Omens), References to Oscar Wilde</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:55:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,477</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25458076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mixermiz907/pseuds/mixermiz907</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>All was well until Aziraphale realized his priceless first editions went missing after Armagedidn’t. Now he must team up with the demon, Crowley once more in search of the volumes Adam has sent them to hunt down. With this scavenger hunt, they have more time to the two of them than ever before reestablishing feelings Crowley buried within him long ago. Will Crowley admit their feelings to Aziraphale or will they remain silent another six thousand years?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Good Omens Mini Bang</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Tadfield</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A special thanks to @ngk_they_said for the art for chapter 2! This was fun to write! </p><p>Special notes:  Crowley is genderfluid in this fic, presenting as different genders as they feel like it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Armegedidn’t had just ended and Aziraphale and Crowley finished their well-deserved lunch at the Ritz and were walking the distance to Aziraphale’s previously burned down bookshop. The angel felt that there was something off with the shop upon Adam’s restoration of it, but he could not put his finger on it. </p><p>He unlocked the door, beckoning his demon into the parlor. He looked around and again, felt something was off. As if something was missing. The bookshop looked as if everything was in order, however. Which bothered Aziraphale even more. He paced the length of the shop, combed through each and every shelf, picked up each book, and flipped through it, shaking his head at each one before gingerly closing it and replacing it on the shelf.</p><p>“Angel, what’re you-?” Crowley started before Aziraphale shot him a glare.</p><p>“Something is missing,” he enunciated, “but I haven’t a clue what.”</p><p>“Everything looks in order to me, Ang.” </p><p>“It may look in order, but it clearly <em>isn’t</em>,” he huffed.</p><p>Crowley sighed and went to lay on the chaise lounge, their left leg dangling over the side, touching the floor, their right hand under their head, cell phone in their left as they began inanely scrolling through Twitter. They knew not to get in Aziraphale’s way when he got like this. </p><p>The angel’s pace quickened as he painstakingly evaluated each book on the shelves; when he got to his personal copy of <em>The Picture of Dorian Gray </em>with a personal foreword written by Wilde for Aziraphale. He pulled it off the shelf and the foreword wasn’t in its place; in fact, the book just wasn’t right. His copy didn’t have a publication year as it was given to him directly from the author himself, bypassing the need for publication; this copy had a publication year.</p><p>He froze, clenching the book so hard his knuckles turned white, “this is wrong!” he exclaimed.</p><p>“What’s ‘wrong?’” Crowley set the phone on their chest to use their hand to make air quotes around “wrong”.</p><p>“This is <em>The Picture of Dorian Gray.”</em></p><p>“Yes, the one that that Wilde fellow gave you before he got it published in 1890, I recall. What of it?”</p><p>“This<em> isn’t </em>the copy Wilde gave me, it’s a common copy you can find at any Daunt’s Books in all of London.”</p><p>“Strange,” was all Crowley said, picking up their phone, their left hand tapping vigorously on the screen.</p><p>“Are you even listening?” Aziraphale spat, dropping the book on a stool beside the shelf.</p><p>“-of course, love. Just let me sort this out.” Crowley sat up, holding up a long finger as they put their cell phone to their ear. </p><p>“Erm yeah, Adam? Aziraphale is frantically pacing the shop.” They paused as Adam seemingly answered them. </p><p>“Mhmm, and where might his special copies be?” their face fell. </p><p>“Oh, for Sat-Chri-Someone’s sake, you’re lucky,” they hung up the phone, dropping it on the couch beside them.</p><p>“What was that?” Aziraphale asked, arching a pale eyebrow.</p><p>“Adam replaced all your first editions with the newest editions available when he restored the shop; he said, and I quote, ‘let the scavenger hunt begin’... what a brat.” Crowley pressed their fingers to their temples.</p><p>“He replaced <em>all my editions?!” </em>Aziraphale’s voice rose several decibels, “did he say where to look for them?” </p><p>“Not a word on that one, we’ll have to pay Adam and co. a visit to get that one from him.” </p><p>Aziraphale trudged over to the couch and slumped down to the right of Crowley. “Any idea where he is?”</p><p>“Probably in those woods, can’t track him though, but maybe we can track his friends and find him that way.”</p><p>“What’re we waiting for? Let’s go.” Aziraphale stood back up, he adjusted his crooked bow-tie while exiting the building.</p><p>“We’re driving Ang,” Crowley called, picking their lanky frame off of the couch and following behind.</p><p>“Tsk, if you insist.” </p><p>They got in the Bentley and Crowley slammed their snaked foot on the gas, zooming through the narrow streets of London until the beings reached Tadfield. Crowley began to decrease their speed as to appease the Neighborhood Watch, who was undoubtedly seeking the newest thing to complain about in his town. They reached the end of the street where the road ended and the woods began, exiting the car and began to make their way into Hogback Wood. </p><p>It didn’t take long for them to find Adam in his treehouse with Dog and Pepper.</p><p>“Oh, hiya!” Adam beamed, jumping down from the treehouse, his brown curls bouncing as he landed, “what brings ya to the wood?” </p><p>“The game you’re pulling, end it,” Crowley hissed, slithering down to Adam’s height, their forked tongue threatening to protrude from their mouth.</p><p>“I’m gonna have to go with no.”</p><p>“Adam, this is not the time for playing games!” Aziraphale chimed in.</p><p>“Oh, it is, indeed, the time for playing games.” Adam clapped his hands together, “you see, you <em>need </em>this just as much as I. I’ve hidden the books where you’ll recall events from your time on Earth.”</p><p>“And how will we know where to start, are there cluessss?!”</p><p>“Of course, what kind of malicious son of Satan am I?” he chortled, “seriously, go back to the bookshop and pick up <em>Budget Weddings For Dummies. </em>Your first clue is in between the cover and the first page.” </p><p>Crowley giggled under their breath before recomposing themself, “well, we know where to start; let’s go Angel.” They grabbed Aziraphale by the wrist and they got back to the Bentley where the pair drove back to the shop. </p><p>As they arrived Aziraphale seemed to shrink into his seat. “Go on without me,” he mumbled, arms crossed over his chest.</p><p>“Nonsense, Ang, you’re coming too.” the demon replied, getting out of the seat, going around the car, and grabbing their ethereal friend once again, leading him into the bookshop.</p><p>“Fine, fine,” Aziraphale muttered as they reentered the bookshop. </p><p>Lo and behold, right by the entrance to the shop sat the painfully bright yellow cover of  <em>Budget Weddings for Dummies</em>. Crowley picked it up gingerly and flipped through it until a slip of paper fell out of it. </p><p><em>Winnipeg’s Pen: </em>the note read in elegant handwriting much too formal for an eleven-year-old boy. </p><p>“Well, Angel, I know where our first stop is.” They slammed the book shut and smiled wickedly, “to the London Zoo!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. London</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Again special thanks to @ngk_they_said for their wonderful art, go check them out on tumblr under the user @ngk-they-said</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They returned to the Bentley and Crowley turned the key in the ignition, the vehicle began to hum with life. So as to not cause their angel any further panic, Crowley kept the Bentley just a few kilometers over the speed limit. </p><p>“What would be at Winnipeg’s Pen?” Crowley asked.</p><p>“The first edition of Alan Alexander’s Winnie-The-Pooh. Oh, I do love that silly old bear and his pals.” He clasped his hands, "I can't imagine why that one went missing of all of them." </p><p>“Because you care about it Ang,” they replied softly as their snake eyes shifted to look at Aziraphale, then back to the road. </p><p>Both beings remained silent until they finally reached their destination. They found a spot in the car park and exited the Bentley. Walking together to the entrance of the zoo, they found the line to start well into the car park. This prompted Crowley to snap upwards procuring an empty line; they squeezed past all the other patrons waiting for entry and paid Crowley and Aziraphale had made their way into the zoo.</p><p>“We could’ve waited in the line, it wouldn’t have killed us,” Aziraphale chastised.</p><p>“Have we any idea where Winnipeg was held in the zoo?” Crowley asked Aziraphale out of the corner of their mouth, ignoring his previous remark.</p><p>“Not a clue. But- we can ask one of the lovely gentlemen or gentle ladies over there about it,”  Aziraphale responded, his usual lilt returning to his voice. </p><p>This was relieving for Crowley to hear; Aziraphale was beginning to sound more like his usual self, whether it was because they were working together to find his books, being surrounded by God’s creations, or a mix of the two, Crowley would never know. While Crowley was musing to themself, however, Aziraphale had begun to walk up toward one of the employees.</p><p>“Excuse me, sir? Have you any idea where Winnipeg’s pen used to be, back in the thirties?”</p><p>“Um, no? No idea, that was how long ago. I wasn’t even alive then,” the employee stated before running off, leaving Aziraphale in the dust. </p><p>“Well that was <em>rude-</em>” Aziraphale started.</p><p>“Yes, yes, quite. We’re on our own Angel. Let’s see where the other bears are kept in the zoo.”</p><p>“Well, while we’re here and we paid for it, let’s look at some of the other animals.”</p><p>Crowley nodded, “Lead the way then.” </p><p>The pair meandered through the throng of people within the zoo to view the animals in their exhibits. Crowley found themself pulling Aziraphale towards the reptile house to look at the snakes.</p><p>“Don’t you just feel for them? Trapped in these cages, not allowed to sink their fangs into anything besides half-dead albino mice?” Crowley found themself saying aloud to Aziraphale, pointing out a black mamba coiled around itself on the tree branch in its enclosure.</p><p>“They’re being cared for, Crowley; most of these creatures wouldn’t last a day in the wild and that is why many of them are still here,” he whispered back.</p><p>Behind them, a group of children, no doubt from a school trip, as they were all wearing highlighter yellow tee-shirts, began forming a large circle around the exhibit.</p><p>“Shall we leave them be?” Crowley asked, gesturing with his hands towards the exit.</p><p>“We shall, besides, I want to go look at the otters, they’re my favorite to watch on that TubeYou thing on your phone.”</p><p>“YouTube, Angel. It’s YouTube, nonetheless, lead the way.”</p><p>Aziraphale led Crowley towards the otters and other semi-aquatic life, bouncing with each step as the pair neared the area. </p><p>They got there just as a trainer entered the enclosure and began to feed the otters. The otters squealed with excitement as they caught the fish in their paws and began to nibble on them, their whiskers twitching slightly with every bite of fish.</p><p>“Ohh!! Just look at them!” Aziraphale cooed, “they’re so happy munching on their fishies,” he clapped and pointed like a five-year-old seeing them for the time, when little did anyone know, Aziraphale created the otters himself. </p><p>“Yes, Ang, I see them, they are just adorable,” he paused before silently murmuring to himself, “<em>just like you</em>.”</p><p>“What’s up Crowley?” he turned to the demon.</p><p>“Ngk, nothing. Wanna keep watching the otters?” </p><p>This recaptured Aziraphale’s attention and made him turn back towards the otters, still munching away on their fish until each one finished and made their way back into the water.</p><p>Once all the otters had begun to swim off their meals, Aziraphale began to walk towards the one exhibit that seemed emptier than the rest, guest wise: the platypus exhibit.</p><p>“Such bizarre creatures,” Crowley mused.</p><p>“Ahh but that’s what makes them so special, my dear,” Aziraphale replied, simply. </p><p>Crowley never did understand why the platypus was held in such high regard for some people. Was it because of their ability to lay eggs even though they were a mammal? Was it because of their freakish appearance skeletonized? This is one thing Crowley would never have answered.</p><p>“Why are there so few platypuses?”</p><p>“Platypi, or platypodes,” Aziraphale corrected them</p><p>“Hm, so much for one type of animal,” they muttered under their breath.</p><p>“Yes yes, the humans made these poor creatures the debate of the millennium, just their name baffles everyone,” Aziraphale chuckled as they continued onward. </p><p>The crowds came in waves around them as they walked until they finally saw a statue of a small bear with its paws being held by a stone soldier. Children hugged the bear as their parents snapped photos of them before quickly moving on.</p><p>There was a plaque next to it that Aziraphale quickly scanned over before his eyes glittered with joy. </p><p>“What is it?” Crowley asked as they began to sit on the bench beside the statue.</p><p>“This is Winnie’s statue, the book has to be close!” he exclaimed.</p><p>Crowley blinked twice, pushed up their sunglasses, and placed their fingers to the bottom of their chin in thought, “I don’t see anywhere to hide a book, Ang.”</p><p>As Crowley said this, they felt a piece of paper crinkle in their pocket. They pulled it out, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.</p><p>“Perspective is key if you are to find me.” Crowley read aloud from the note.</p><p>Aziraphale began to pace in front of the statue as he repeated the phrase to himself over and over.</p><p>“What about putting yourself where the soldier is?” Crowley suggested for him.</p><p> It was as if Crowley could see the bulb light up above Aziraphale as his lips formed an O, and he clasped his hands together, “what a great idea, should be simple enough.” Aziraphale went over to the soldier’s side, snapped downwards and suddenly the soldier was gone. In its place was Aziraphale holding Winnie herself in his hands. </p><p>Crowley looked below the bench they sat and as the note suggested, by taking another perspective, that of the soldier’s, the book appeared and was nestled in the grass that was growing underneath the bench. </p><p>“Ang! We’ve got it!” they bent down to grab the book and held it aloft.</p><p>“Splendid!” he continued to hold Winnie’s paws until finally he sighed, snapped downwards once more, and the soldier returned.</p><p>Crowley was joined by Aziaphale on the bench; they handed him the book, to which he began to read aloud.</p><p>“Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head behind, Christopher Robin.” He continued to read aloud off of the first page and began to recite it from memory once the first page ended. </p><p>Children began to circle the pair of beings, tugging their parent’s jumpers to grab their attention before scurrying over to the front of the bench, sitting cross-legged and intently listening to Aziraphale’s every word.</p><p>The time passed quickly until a worker came over to remind the crowd of children and Aziraphale that it was time for the park to close and to finish reading some other day.</p><p>“Will you continue for us?” one child pleaded, his eyes shimmering as tears threatened to stream down his face.</p><p>“Of course! I’d love to continue for you all,” Aziraphale smiled, bending down to the boy to wipe the tears. </p><p>“Thank you!” many of the children cried as they went back towards their parents, who beckoned them to leave. </p><p>“Have fun?” Crowley asked their companion.</p><p>“Very much so,” he beamed, “let’s get back to the Bentley, I wanna take a closer look at the book.”</p><p>Crowley nodded and away the pair went towards the Bentley, now one of the only cars remaining in the car park. They held open the door for Aziraphale and then got around to the right-hand side and the Bentley hummed with life. </p><p>Aziraphale began flipping through the book gently, glancing over each page to find anything that simply didn’t belong and a crisp white piece of paper stood out among the faded yellow pages.</p><p>“Within Wilde’s final place is where the sky will dim to Gray.” Aziraphale read the page aloud.</p><p>“Ngk,” Crowley blurted. “I guess we’re going to visit your dear friend.”</p><p>“Precisely. off to France is where we’re due to be.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. France</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The drive through the Chunnel was silent, aside from a Best of Queen tape playing in the background, filling the air with “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy,” and Crowley’s fingers tapping on the steering wheel to the beat. </p><p>They exited the Chunnel and they were now in Coquelles, France.</p><p>“I hope your French is much better than it was the last time we were here together Angel,” Crowley mused.</p><p>“Oh hush, you.” Aziraphale hit them, “I’ll have you know it has improved quite exponentially since 1792.”</p><p>“I’d certainly hope so, now what book would be in France, again? You never did reveal what it was.”</p><p>“A Portrait of Dorian Gray,” he admitted sheepishly. </p><p>“The one by that Wilde fellow, the one arrested for having homosexual lovers?”</p><p>“Heh, that’d be the one,” Aziraphale chuckled nervously.</p><p>“What’s so special about the edition we’re looking for, you never said?”</p><p>“Oh, nothing,  just a collector’s item, like the rest. Now pay attention to the road.”</p><p>The car fell back to silence once again as “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy” ended and was replaced with “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”. This time, Crowley did not tap to the beat, as this would surely invoke them to belt out the lyrics. </p><p>They got onto the A-16 and continued for about another four hundred kilometers before they arrived in the limits of Paris. The city was bustling with life, tourists of all ethnicities, shapes, sizes, and origins were lining the streets, all to get a view of some magnificent point of history that sparked their interests. Some undoubtedly going for the Louver, others were there for none other than the Eiffel Tower itself. </p><p>“So the clue mentioned Wilde’s final place, does it mean his original burial place or where he is currently buried?” Crowley mused.</p><p>“There isn’t any harm in checking both, Crowley. We’ve got the time.” Aziraphale reassured them. </p><p>“Ngk, alright then.” they huffed.</p><p>They drove a few kilometers more before Crowley parked aside the road. Aziraphale looked at them, brows furrowed. </p><p>“We can walk from here,” Crowley explained. </p><p>“Ahh,”was all Aziraphale said. </p><p>They walked through the throngs of people and began to search for the current resting place of Oscar Wilde within the Père Lachaise Cemetery. The cemetery was quite easy to find, finding the stone, however, would be no easy task, or so they thought. </p><p>The duo walked the maze each step echoing against the tombstones and monuments. Within the swarms of grey of the stonework, hues of red, white, pink, and yellow littered the ground in the form of lilies and chrysanthemums. </p><p>Aziraphale and Crowley eventually came across the tomb on the far eastern side of the cemetery, protected by a glass fence that was adorned with well wishes and kisses from fans, just as the sun met the line of the horizon. </p><p>“Any copies of the book laying around?” Crowley asked as they stood on the tips of their toes as if to get a better look. </p><p>“Not that I can see.”</p><p>Aziraphale walked the perimeter of the tomb, examining all of the notes written by fans on the glass, ‘I love you,’ ‘J’taime’ and more versions of ‘I love you’ were written across the glass, along with many of his quotes throughout life. </p><p>Crowley also began to saunter around the perimeter, their eye mostly caught the many kisses planted on the glass, and on the stone itself, though these were invisible to the human eye, through efforts to remove the vandalism to his resting place before the glass was installed. Crowley began to wonder if any of the kisses were planted on the site by Aziraphale himself, which caused them to clench their fists into balls trying to think of <em>anything </em>else. </p><p>“So have you ever visited him, after he died?” Crowley asked aloud.</p><p>“Oh quite often, he was such a remarkable man, I used to visit him monthly until the World Wars prevented such travel.”</p><p>“Hm,” Crowley pushed their sunglasses up the bridge of their nose. </p><p>The two continued to examine the glass until Aziraphale tapped the demon’s shoulder vigorously.</p><p>“Hm?” this time, more inquiry in the demon’s tone, turning their head slightly to meet the eye of the angel.</p><p>“There’s a note written more recently than the others, it wasn’t here when we arrived-” he cut himself off, “Adam, the wily child.” Aziraphale shook his head.</p><p>Crowley put their fingers to their chin in thought as they followed the angel to the newer inscription.</p><p>“<em>I’m close, where you last sat beside me all those years ago.” </em>Crowley read aloud, to which Aziraphale blushed scarlet.</p><p>The demon forced themself to blink as their eyes felt uncomfortably dry for the first time in six thousand years, “What does it mean?” they arched an eyebrow.</p><p>“Erm- just follow,” Aziraphale said quietly, retreating inward, folding his arms around his chest as he led Crowley out of the cemetery.</p><p>The air was still between them as night finally began to descend on Paris, street lights illuminated the city and the chatter of tourists seemed to not register in the beings. They returned to the Bentley and Aziraphale began to instruct Crowley where to turn as they drove past the Notre Dame and other places that just didn’t catch their eye. </p><p>“We’re here,” Aziraphale said quietly, almost a half an hour after they left the cemetery. They had arrived at L’Hotel, Paris.</p><p>“A hotel? Angel, I don’t recall coming here with you before, I only recall helping you escape the Bastille and getting crepes with you afterward.”</p><p>“Because I haven’t come here with you. I was here with Oscar.” he finally admitted.</p><p>Crowley felt their heart sink into their stomach, the demon had felt this was the case when Aziraphale became sheepish admitting anything to do with Wilde, even a century after his death.</p><p>“You were asleep, you see,” the angel looked at his shoes, “and Oscar was quite good company.”</p><p>“I see-” the demon said no more, getting out of the Bentley.</p><p>Aziraphale too got out and began to enter L’Hotel, finding themselves in the lobby. He snapped downwards and approached a woman, about late teens, who had vibrant brown curls with chunky highlights that were a glaring reminder of the late nineties having happened, “excuse me, ma’am, checking in, under A. Phale.”</p><p>“Ahh, the Wilde Suite,” the woman automatically said as if the words were forced out of her mouth, “here’s the key, and you two have a wonderful night!” she beamed at the two.</p><p>“The ‘Wilde Suite’?” Crowley quoted.</p><p>“Mhmm, where he died.” he nodded, but said nothing further on the subject, rather allowing silence to fill the air once more. </p><p>They continued until they reached the room. Aziraphale opened the door, holding it for Crowley. The door closing behind them Aziraphale sat on the bed, beckoning the demon to sit beside him. The room had a posh interior design, with wood paneling on the bedside wall, and vertically striped wallpaper adorning the remainder of the room, a mahogany bed frame with white sheets, a rolltop desk, two beautiful scarlet armchairs across from the desk. </p><p>“So, Angel-” they cut themselves off before huffing back into silence. </p><p>“What is it, Crowley?”</p><p>“Did you love him?” the demon took their sunglasses off, revealing tired eyes, “please, answer truthfully.”</p><p>“- yes. That I did. I was saddened by his imprisonment, I was here at his side the night he died.”</p><p>“How much did he know?”</p><p>“Everything,” Aziraphale whispered, “he wouldn’t let me miracle a remedy for his meningitis, he was ready to go. I <em>wasn’t</em>,” he blinked, pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes. </p><p>Crowley sighed, “mm- alright. I’m sorry to press you so-” they said, uncharacteristically, before sinking into a sullen silence. </p><p>“D-darn it, I’m sorry Crowley, there’s never a good time to bring up former lovers.”</p><p>Crowley just blinked at him, “of course, there’s never a good time to announce that sort of news, but better to just let it out instead of waiting till the man is in the ground for over a century,” they hissed, “how long do we have the room for?”</p><p>“For the night, I can make it longer if you need it.”</p><p>“Please, I need a nap,” the demon morphed their snakeskin shoes into bare feet and snapped upwards procuring black silken pajamas. </p><p>“Goodnight?” Aziraphale asked meekly.</p><p>“Ngk, g’night, Ang.” they closed their eyes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Crowley's Dream</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Heaven before the Fall</p>
<p>“Raphella, please no time to sleep.” Michael urged</p>
<p>“Hm? What’s happening?” Raphella moved a strand of crimson hair out of her slitted eyes.</p>
<p>“We’re recruiting some new angels to help with Creation, shall we get going?”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, just give me a minute.” she yawned, stretching her reedy arms above her head. </p>
<p>Michael rolled her eyes and left Raphella to her own devices. Heaven was various shades of white and gold, everything there glimmered and exuded happiness, it was intoxicating to Raphella, especially when waking up that morning, even as an angel, she loved to sleep, she even claimed to have invented the concept for humanity. She snapped and her hair was immaculately curled and her snowy robes became wrinkle-free and her bare feet now adorned gold polish. </p>
<p>Raphella found her way over the other archangels, Michael, Uriel, and Gabriel who were waiting in front of a gate. The four of them snapped together and the gates began to open with a harmonious squeal of the golden gate. Each new angel appeared as an orb of light before taking a form, that they decided was best. The first orb floated towards them,</p>
<p>The orb became a portly balding man, “I am called, Sandalphon,” they announced.</p>
<p>“Welcome, welcome!” Gabriel shook the new angel’s hand vigorously.</p>
<p>More and more angels came through, some female-presenting, some masculine-presenting, some presenting as both, while some presented as neither. They all blurred together until one finally caught her eye.</p>
<p>Raphella noticed this orb moved slower than the others, almost as if it was afraid? The orb assumed a form but quickly shifted into that of a corpulent man with bleached white hair and striking blue eyes.</p>
<p>“And what’re you called?” Michael asked the angel.</p>
<p>“I’m- Aziraphale, madam.” his voice sang, timidly</p>
<p>“Aziraphale, Principality,” Michael announced, “welcome.”</p>
<p>Raphella knew from the moment she laid eyes on him, that she’d be looking out for this angel for the rest of her existence.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>The dream shifted and Raphella was supervising the creation of living things that day, it had been nothing but various ferns and coniferous trees for the last week until finally something interesting finally emerged.</p>
<p>“I- I swear, it was a mistake,” Aziraphale gestured to his billed mole-like animal, “I meant to make another duck but then I lost my thought and out came this poor creature, Gabriel is going to blow a gasket on this one.” the angel panicked.</p>
<p>Raphella strode to Aziraphale’s side, “nonsense, it’s unique, I like it,” she beamed, “what will you call it?”</p>
<p>“Like a duck but not a duck?” he phrased his statement into a question.</p>
<p>“How about, duckmole?”</p>
<p>“Too straightforward, but it could work.”</p>
<p>“Platypus,” Raphealla cursed under her breath.</p>
<p>“That’s it!” Aziraphale exclaimed</p>
<p>Raphella raised an eyebrow at him, “what’s it?”</p>
<p>“You named it! Platypus!” he smiled at himself and hugged the creature, placing it back on his table before hugging Raphella.</p>
<p>“I guess I did,” she said, as she robotically moved her arms to embrace him, her face turning crimson.</p>
<p>“Well- we best be getting on, more to create.” Aziraphale laughed, stepping back, his face just as red.</p>
<p>“Mhm- gotta make sure that Earth is ready.” </p>
<p>That was the last time they were together as angels. Regretfully Raphella spent more time than she should have with Lucifer and was forced to descend. She never thought she’d reencounter Aziraphale ever again, until the day they reunited on Earth. But at that point, Aziraphale didn’t see Raphella, just a demon. The memories were clear as day, but she had no idea how to explain that she was still the angel Aziraphale met to get the memories to connect for Aziraphale.</p>
<p>“What do they call you?” the angel asked her.</p>
<p>“R-Crawly,” she replied, hesitantly.</p>
<p>“Crawly-”</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>“Crowley? Crowley, wake up.” Aziraphale was shaking her awake.</p>
<p>“What is it Ang?” the demon replied.</p>
<p>“The book appeared seconds after you fell asleep,” he beamed, holding a book bound in blue, and faded brown at the edges ever so slightly.</p>
<p>“I- I’m glad.” she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, “how long did you let me sleep?”</p>
<p>“Three days” he beamed</p>
<p>“So what’d you do all that time?” she raised her brow.</p>
<p>“Had a couple of nibbles, you needed the sleep. Feeling better? You sound it.”</p>
<p>“A bit-” she half-lied, she was feeling better, but the memories of her jealousy began to flow back into her thoughts, which she tried to clear while leaning her head on the angel, “where to next?”</p>
<p>“Italy, we’re off to find <em>The Count of Monte Cristo.”</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Island of Montecristo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The pair had been on the road for several hours, Aziraphale had suggested they just miracle themselves to their destination, save a days journey, but Crowley was relishing her time with Aziraphale since they had been to France, while her nap helped, she couldn’t get the past between Oscar Wilde and Aziraphale out of their mind. She tried everything short of an eighty-year nap, there wasn’t time for that yet, but the image of Oscar caressing her Angel’s face made her blood boil and her hands clench against the steering wheel.</p><p>“Are you alright, Crowley” Azirphale asked her,</p><p>“I’m just fine Aziraphale, just thinking, maybe we should rest for a while?”</p><p>“Well, you have been driving nearly twelve hours now, maybe we should find something to nibble on?”</p><p>“Perhaps, I’ll pull into the next rest stop,” she sighed.</p><p>They drove another fifteen kilometers before an exit with a rest stop appeared, Crowley turned into the rest stop and put the Bentley into a parking spot.</p><p>“Oh goody, this one has an Autogrill!” Aziraphale beamed, clapping his hands together.</p><p>“Mhmm, lucky we came upon this one,” Crowley said as she walked to the back of the Bentley and opened the trunk grabbing a black snakeskin purse that could’ve easily been mistaken as a duffle bag out of the trunk slinging it onto her shoulder, closing the trunk she made her way towards Crowley standing by the left passenger’s side.</p><p>“Ready?” Aziraphale asked, extending his hand.</p><p>“Ready, Ang- lead the way,” she took it, smirking inwardly. </p><p>They walked into the Autogrill hand in hand, and found a table, and sat down.</p><p>“Go get what you want Ang, I’ll be back in a moment,” Crowley stood up and made her way to the bathroom.</p><p>Each step away from Aziraphale was painful but she needed to change, the leather pants were restricting and she needed out. She entered the bathroom, locked the stall behind her and opened the duffle bag, and pulled out what seemed to be black cloth at random, when in fact it was a camisole dress. She pulled her pants down and walked out of them as best as she could before hastily unbuttoning the black button-down which would have been laden with sweat were she human. She bunched the dress up before pulling it over her head and letting it cascade down her slender frame falling to her mid-thigh. </p><p>Crowley shoved the original clothes into the bag.</p><p>She unlocked the door and stepped outwards towards the sink and mirror, as she walked towards it, usual snake-skinned “shoes” became stilettos adding another four inches to her already incredible height. Once at the mirror she snapped upwards to add a smokey eye and a bold red lip to her complexion, leaving her eyes alone, she pulled out a new pair of sunglasses placing them on the bridge of her nose and a wide-brimmed floppy black hat from the duffle and placed that atop her flaming red curls, satisfied, she left the bathroom.</p><p>Confidence grew in her as she walked towards Aziraphale who had just looked up from his meal to meet her gaze, “you look, <em>lovely</em> madam,” Aziraphale said, his jaw agape as put his fork down wiped his face with a napkin before taking Crowley’s hand in his, kissing the back of it gently. </p><p>“Thank you, Angel.” the demon blushed redder than her curls, what’d you get to eat?”</p><p>“Just a Caprese, to tie me over.” he smiled at the food in front of him. </p><p>Crowley sat down across from the angel and watched him closely, every bite taken was a gentle caress, in a sense. Until, finally, he finished.</p><p>“That was delightful given it was rest stop food,” he beamed as he blotted his mouth with his handkerchief. </p><p>“Glad you enjoyed it, shall we continue?”</p><p>“So long as you’re ready, are you sure we can’t miracle ourselves there?” Aziraphale asked- again.</p><p>“We could, but we’d be leaving the Bentley here.”</p><p>He sighed, “alright, lead the way.”</p><p>The pair returned to the Bentley and they began to drive further down along the coastline.</p><p>“So where exactly are we stopping?”</p><p>“A docking station along the coast, I’ll tell you when to stop,” Aziraphale reassured her.</p><p>Crowley simply nodded and turned on the cassette player, filling the silence with “Fat Bottomed Girls”.</p><p>They drove for another hour before Aziraphale had Crowley pull into a lot, “Not much farther, let’s go.” </p><p>Crowley followed slowly behind and that’s when she saw the boat and a driver waiting for them.</p><p>“We’re actually going to the island? I thought you had to reserve a trip there <em>years </em>in advance?”</p><p>“I may have pulled some strings of my own,” Aziraphale chuckled, running a hand through his white hair.  </p><p>“Am I rubbing off too much on ye, Ang?” she smirked, “oops.”</p><p>They boarded the boat and were off to the island, the sun was just shy of being straight above the pair, the water clear and calm. </p><p>The driver kept them on course and they stuck shore three hours after their departure. Aziraphale thanked the driver, handed him a stack of euros, before catching up to Crowley who already departed the boat, heels off and in her right hand, her dress and curls swaying with the wind. </p><p>“So where are we looking?” Crowley asked him when he caught up to her. </p><p>“The botanical gardens may be a good place to start.” Aziraphale decided.</p><p>Crowley nodded and the pair began to make their way through the sandy beach into the brush and finally to the botanical gardens. </p><p>The second they entered the threshold Crowley’s breath was taken if only her plants could grow at this magnitude in her flat. She walked the length of the gardens, taking in the beauty as she noticed Aziraphale scanning the place in search of the book. An hour had passed and it was looking like he wasn’t having any success.</p><p>“Anywhere else you can think of, Ang?” she asked him.</p><p>“Maybe the shoreline?” he sighed, shoulders slumped and wrapping his arms around himself. </p><p>Crowley hugged the angel, instinctively, “we’ll find it, don’t worry.” </p><p>They left the gardens and returned to the shore, where Aziraphale began to scour the treelines in search of the book. The waves began to pound the shoreline with immense force, which captured Crowley’s attention. It was as if the waves wrote a message in the sand as the second the message appeared the waves calmed again.</p><p>“Hey, Ang?” she called out, “Come here and take a look at this.”</p><p>Aziraphale came over to the demon, worry plain on his face. “What is it?”</p><p>Crowley waved her arms at the writing and read it aloud, “<em>while I was betrayed, you were not. Look to your companion</em>.”</p><p>He blinked and suddenly a vision of understanding was clear on his face went over to Crowley and hugged him, and reread the message, “<em>while I was betrayed you were not, Look to your companion, for the promise of forever is in you.” </em></p><p>Crowley didn’t give any further thought, in the next second their lips met in their embrace. Her heart picked up like a helicopter taking off, Aziraphale was so soft, and she had waited for six thousand years.<em> It felt so right.</em></p><p>Their kiss ended as quickly as it started, each was beet red in the face, and darting looks at the other.</p><p>“That was nice,” Crowley breathed.</p><p>“Mhmm,” Aziraphale nodded</p><p>They looked back to the treeline and lo and behold, it was there, it’s tanned cover almost invisible to the human eye. The pair ran towards it, Aziraphale picked it up gingerly and cradled it in his arms. </p><p>“Back to the boat?”</p><p>“Indeed,”  Aziraphale smiled and the pair boarded the boat once more.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“That was the last book wasn’t it?” Crowley asked, finally. The two had settled on the beach right beside the docked boat they had departed hours before.</p><p>“I believe they’re all accounted for,” Aziraphale looked up from <em>The Count of Monte Cristo.</em></p><p>“Alright, well, got anything spectacular planned now?”  she asked her angelic friend. </p><p>Aziraphale closed the book and looked at her, the page he left off on memorized for later, “Not anything particularly special, what have you got plotting in that head of yours?”</p><p>She smirked, removing her sunglasses so Aziraphale could see her eyes with clear detail, “that is for me to know, shall we make for the Bentley?”</p><p>“Perhaps we can watch the waves for a little while, maybe even take a quick dip with our feet?”</p><p>Crowley looked toward the waves then back at her angel, “of course,”</p><p>Standing up, the demon extended her hand to the angel which he took, she pulled him to his feet. They stopped holding hands instead they stood side by side as the beings approached the waves. </p><p>“It’s so beautiful,” Aziraphale whispered, his eyes lighting up as he enjoyed the closeness the two were sharing.</p><p>“Very,” she smiled back, stepping forward into the water, it was quite refreshing, the sand gently grazing her feet with each wave pulling back and forth. </p><p>“But- there’s someone more beautiful.” he continued.</p><p>“And who’d that be?” she grabbed at Aziraphale’s hand.</p><p>“Raphella,” he looked at her knowingly.</p><p>Crowley’s heart skipped a beat, “I haven’t heard that name in a long time,” she sighed.</p><p>“Well it’s still you, isn’t it?”</p><p>“You recognized it was me the whole time?” Crowley accidentally let out a hiss and flinched.</p><p>“N-not right away you see,” we were taught to forget who people were before they Fell, I tried to remember, and eventually I did.”</p><p>“What made you remember?” she frowned, slightly.</p><p>“This,” he rose to his tiptoes and went to plant a kiss on the demon’s cheek, she turned their cheek and their lips met, “I missed you,”</p><p>“I was here the whole time Ang-” she protested, voice being cut off by another kiss.</p><p>Aziraphale was now in the air, being held by Crowley, as she moved them back to where they sat before all without breaking their kiss. She set him down and they slowly broke apart to sit, Crowley nestled into Aziraphale and they began to watch the sun as it sank into the waters.</p><p>“Aziraphale?” she asked.</p><p>“Mm?”</p><p>“I-” she froze</p><p>“I love you too,” he smiled, “I guess we really do have to start that forever.”</p><p>“Agreed, forever. No matter what.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>